


A different challenge

by Blacksheepsfur



Category: The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:22:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23190838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blacksheepsfur/pseuds/Blacksheepsfur
Summary: Jude sat in her bathroom, not crying, Jude didn’t cry. Why was she sitting there? Because Jude had been careless, she wasn’t sure when but she knew, Jude Duarte the Queen of Faerie was pregnant.
Relationships: Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar
Comments: 3
Kudos: 84





	A different challenge

Jude always knew that her relationship with Cardan wasn’t healthy, Madoc once said that love cannot grow from hate, but Cardan didn’t hate her now. Jude didn’t hate him either; they both loved each other, but Madoc loves Jude’s mother too. 

She had stopped visiting the mortal world, she couldn’t afford to let herself grow old and weak, and by now she would be almost forty, but time moves differently in faerie, even if she was connected to the land, faerie was still an inhuman place, though she was not totally human, over time it seemed she got less and less human. She had always been envious of the power the others possessed, the ability to weave a glamour or change their appearance. Jude still couldn’t change her appearance, but she had become practiced in healing herself, and the land had given her powers she shouldn’t possess. 

Lately she had noticed something still more peculiar, flowers growing without her blood spilling. She awoke once perhaps a month ago to roses growing all around her body. They seemed to cover her in a sort of blanket, snaking around her waist and stomach. She had been puzzled but she didn’t bother telling Cardan, she attended to her duties as normal. Though strange things kept happening, almost as if the land was trying to tell her something. 

It took her longer than she would’ve thought to figure it out.

That’s why Jude sat in her bathroom, not crying, Jude didn’t cry. Why was she sitting there? Because Jude had been careless, she wasn’t sure when but she knew, Jude Duarte the Queen of Faerie was pregnant. 

She didn’t know what to do, she could run a kingdom, she could vanquish her foes, she could save all of faerie even, but raising a child was different.

She feared that she was too much like Madoc, she was not fit to love a child, because she wasn’t sure she knew how. She loved Oak but he was her brother not her son.

Then there was Cardan, she wasn’t sure how he would react. She didn’t know if she wanted to know, she knew that in the mortal world they had ways to get rid of children but she couldn’t return or she would age again.  
Jude shook herself, she was the queen of faerie, she saved the curse that would’ve destroyed everything. She could do this, and so gathering up her skirts she walked into the hall, her guard following behind. She entered the throne room.  
Cardan sat perched on his throne, his crown no longer tilted, he held himself with more dignity. He turned to look at her.  
“Jude, I need your advice.” He said, pointing the a faerie.  
“He is guilty of insulting me and my wife, what shall we do?” He said, glaring at the blue haired fae, he was dressed in rather expensive clothes but he was not nobility.  
Jude raised an eyebrow, she wasn’t sure if he expected her to be ruthless or forgiving.  
“What about a curse for cursing the throne.” She said She would be foolish if she said she didn’t enjoy having power. Plus, it wouldn’t do to be to forgiving, she had reputation to uphold after all.  
“Excellent idea, how about for speaking those words, he cannot speak another word at all.” Cardan said clapping his hands together.  
The courtier was obviously quite upset but unfortunately he couldn’t complain. He glared at Jude and Cardan.  
“Or would you rather a stay in the tower of forgetting?” Jude said, inclining her head. With that the faerie bowed his head and left. 

Then before Cardan could move on to the next judgement, Jude stood up and walked to there thrones.

“Cardan, I must talk to you.”  
“But of course.” He said with smile.  
They walked to the royal chambers and dismissed the gaurd.  
“It must be important.” Cardan said, raising his eyebrows.  
“Cardan, I’m pregnant.” Jude said quickly, but he clearly understood it.  
A look of shock on his face. He stood up and when Jude thought he’d walk away, he pulled her close.  
“Does it trouble you that much?” He whispered into her ear.  
“Cardan, how can I ever take care of the child, With all that I’ve done.” She said softly.  
“Jude, you saved people who belittled and tormented you, you saved me.” Cardan said, solemnly.  
“Does that mean you want them?” Jude said, she had not expected this reaction, though she wasn’t sure what she expected, Cardan was unpredictable.  
“I will take whatever gifts or curses you give me Jude.” He said and he kissed her.  
“Do you think they will have a tail?” She asked  
“Or maybe horns, or cat eyes.” He said, He was happy about this.  
“I’d rather not have a child with cat eyes, reminds me of someone.” She said. Jude really didn’t want to think about Madoc when she saw her child.  
“Well, we have an announcement for the living council, and the kingdom.” He said, walking away from her.  
“What would Oriana say? Jude said with a laugh.  
“What is my mother going to say.” Cardan joked.  
“Let’s agree to be different then our parents.” Jude said and she smiled at him.  
“Oh, I’m not so sure, you’ll be teaching them swordplay at four.”  
“Oh shut up, Cardan.”  
“That’s not very nice.” He said feigning hurt.  
“Now about the name.”  
“Cardan Jr.”  
“Absolutely not.”  
“Would you rather Madoc or Ava.”  
“What if we picked a mortal name.”  
“You love causing a stir, don’t you?”  
“Only as much as you.” She said and genuinely smiled at him.  
This was the Cardan who broke the blood crown, the Cardan she loved, they’d both been hurt but her child wouldn’t be. 

Besides, with any luck, they’d be afraid her baby would put a dagger in them. Hopefully she wouldn’t be burying any bodies.


End file.
